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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Undergraduate Inbound Exchange

We welcome exchange students from around the world to study for a semester or two.

Experience life in Canada, globalize your education and get involved with all that Ontario Tech has to offer! 

Becoming an exchange student

  • STEP 1: Check your eligibility

    To be accepted to Ontario Tech's exchange program, you must be nominated by one of our partner universities. Please contact your home university for details about the nomination process. Please note:

    • Nomination deadline:
      • Fall (September to December) -  March 15.
      • Winter (January to April) -  September 15 
      • Spring/Summer (May to August) - January 15                                                                                                              Note: Course offerings in spring/summer are limited.
    • Inbound Nomination Form to be completed by the partner's International Office representative.
    • Entry to graduate-level courses is restricted. Students wishing to take graduate-level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

    If your university is not a current exchange partner, you cannot apply to our university as an exchange student. For information about coming as a visiting student, see the admissions information for non-degree track applicants.

    English language proficiency

    An English language proficiency test is not required. Partner schools must confirm that candidates nominated for exchange meet Ontario Tech's English language proficiency requirements at the time of nomination. 

  • STEP 2: Apply to Ontario Tech

    Once you are nominated, please complete the online exchange application. The application deadlines are as follows:

    Application deadline:

    • Fall (September to December) -  April 15.
    • Winter (January to April) -  October 15 
    • Spring/Summer (May to August) - March 15             

    Students nominated for a graduate exchange will be sent separate instructions on the graduate exchange application process.

    Required documents

    Please note that you will be required to upload these documents to submit the online application:

    • A copy of your passport
    • A current transcript including:
      • The courses you took and are currently enrolled in.
      • The final marks you received.
      • The credit value of each course.
      • Your degree designation (if applicable).

    Official letter of acceptance

    Undergraduate exchange admissions decisions are normally made in May and June. After we have received and assessed your exchange application, we will send you an official letter of acceptance. You will need this to get a Canadian entry visa/Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and/or study permit.

    Visit our immigration information webpage to learn about the requirements for entry into Canada.  

  • STEP 3: Choose your courses

    Submit your course selection form

    Once an exchange nomination and application have been approved, students will receive an email with a link to fill out the Inbound Student Exchange Course Selection form. Once this form is submitted, your course selections will be reviewed by our faculties. 

    You will be asked to provide the following required documents when filling out the course selection form:

    • Your transcript
    • Copies of course syllabi or equivalent, for all courses you have taken to date, including courses currently in progress.

    Quick facts:

    • The course selection form will include a link to our tentative course list which can be used as a guide for selecting your course preferences. 
    • Course descriptions and prerequisite requirements can be found in the Academic Calendar.
    • Some courses have a lecture as well as an associated lab and/or tutorial.
    • Undergraduate students are not eligible to enroll in graduate courses (course codes beginning with 5+).
    • Students can be enrolled in a maximum of five courses per semester.
    • Not all courses are offered every semester.
    • It takes about 30 minutes to travel between the North and Downtown campus locations.
    • To register in a course with prerequisites, you must submit the syllabi from courses you have completed at your home institution for equivalency evaluation. 
    • Preference is given to Ontario Tech students where there is limited space and the course is required for graduation.

    Wait for approvals

    Once you have submitted your course selection form, it will be reviewed by the appropriate faculty at Ontario Tech and overrides will be added to the registration system which will allow you to register into available courses. This process can take several weeks. You will receive email(s) when your courses are approved.

  • STEP 4: Register for classes in MyOntarioTech

    Creating your class schedule

    You can preview available courses any time after June 15 for the following Fall and Winter semesters to build your schedule from your approved list of courses.

    Make sure to review the scheduling information carefully. Choose courses that do not have time conflicts and that are offered in the term when you will be studying at Ontario Tech. Please also note the location of the course. It takes approximately 30 minutes to travel between our North and downtown campuses.

    What do the letters mean?

    short-form symbols for days of the week
    M T W R F
    Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

    Course registration

    As you receive approvals and build your schedule, start registering for your courses in MyOntarioTech. View the how-to register videos for step-by-step tutorials on how to add classes. For courses that have a lecture and an associated lab and/or tutorial, make sure that you are registered in all sections.

    If you have any questions about logging in to the portal or have trouble with your log-in/password, please contact the IT Helpdesk at +1.905.721.3333 or by email at servicedesk@dc-uoit.ca.

    When you have completed registration for all of your courses in MyOntarioTech, send an email to internationalexchange@ontariotechu.ca to confirm you have completed the process.

  • STEP 6: Prepare to come to Ontario Tech

    Flights

    You must be at Ontario Tech from the beginning of MyStart: International, our orientation for international and exchange students, until the end of the exam period. Check the Academic Schedule for important dates. Be sure to plan around the December holiday closure.

    Immigration

    Visit our immigration for exchange students webpage for more information on if you will need to apply for a study permit.

    Housing

    The choice is up to you! See where you will live for information on your options.

    Laptops

    Ontario Tech provides a technology enriched learning environment. You must have a laptop computer that meets the minimum hardware specifications in the Laptop Standards while you study at Ontario Tech.

    Orientation

    All exchange students must attend MyStart: International, our orientation program for international and exchange students. You may also register for other optional orientation programs like MyStart: Orientation (for new undergraduate students) or MyStart: Graduate (for new graduate students). Register for each orientation program you will attend.

    Events

    Bring photos, snacks and little things from home to share with the Ontario Tech community at various events while you are here. All exchange students are encouraged to be exhibitors at two of our big events on campus: the International Exchange Fair (Fall) and Languages of Pangaea (Winter).

  • STEP 7: Pay your fees

    As an exchange student, you must pay the following fees each term:

    UHIP and U-Pass fees
    UHIP The University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) is a basic emergency health insurance plan similar to the Ontario provincial health insurance (OHIP) that is mandatory for all exchange students. Plan information can be found at uhip.ca. You may want to purchase private health insurance to cover yourself beyond UHIP.
    U-Pass U-Pass is a transportation pass that allows you unlimited access to Durham Region Transit. Current costs can be found on the Ancillary Fees page. 

    How do I pay my fees?

    Current costs can be found on the Ancillary Fees page for graduate and undergraduate programs. 

    The fees you owe are listed on MyOntarioTech. These fees must be paid at the beginning of each term through one of the accepted payment options. Popular options for exchange students are PayMyTuition and Flywire.


"I spent one year studying at Ontario Tech University. The classes are a lot more practice-oriented than in Germany, and I worked on case studies, along with many group projects. I spent most of my weekends travelling.  I explored Toronto, visited Algonquin Provincial Park, Bruce Peninsula and Niagara Falls. During my reading week I travelled to New York and Mexico for some sunlight in the winter. However, don’t let the Canadian winter scare you away. There are a lot of great activities to do during the winter, like dogsledding, ice skating, skiing, long snow walks and hikes through beautiful nature. Come to Oshawa and see what Ontario has to offer!"

Sonja from Universität Tubingen, Germany